Carnivorous
by VirtualMadness
Summary: Based on the Episode 9 teaser trailer for 'The Rise of Skywalker'. Something dark and sinister is looming in Rey's mind, and when Kylo Ren shows up to seek her help in defeating the darkest side of the Force, they are faced with even bigger challenges than they originally thought. (Reylo all the way - Not so slow burn.)
1. Chapter 1 - Since Crait

It was confirmed.

Palpatine was alive.

He had his suspicions... The dark voice that seemed to haunt his nightmares often showed up... He knew Snoke's bored, aggressive tone far too well to know it wasn't him.

No.

This was greater... This was something else...

Over the past year, he hunted for him, following the energy and force signature that seemed to dissipate every time he got too close, as if the ghost of this darker evil was playing a game with him, testing him learning his strategy.

He should have known...

Clenching his jaw, Kylo Ren sat completely still in the pilot's seat of the Silencer as he stared off into nothingness beyond the stars.

He had a few choices...

He could go back to the First Order and oversee he training of his troops, a job that he originally left Hux in charge of... Though the General's combat skills would be nothing for the Sith that awaited them...

No... That was ruled out... His guardship, even with the Knights of Ren, wouldn't be able to beat him, no matter the number.

Choice two, rally allies from the First Order investors... His numbers would go up beyond the thousands of which he already had in men...

Kylo's eyes squint briefly as he tries to play the outcome in his head.

With a frustrated exhale through his flared nostrils, he tosses the idea out of his mind.

There would be only one way to defeat his grandfather's Sith Master, and it all pointed to the Force.

And what did the Force tell him?

Silence filled his ears as he sat, his mind brushing against the Force that came to him so naturally. Part of him wanted to find the man himself, to test his power and strength of his saber against the old brute, yet there was a soft, freckled glow in the galaxy that denied him this.

Instinctively, his jaw flexed again as her face came to his mind, her gentle frown and creased brow making another appearance yet again.

It had been a little over a year since the battle on Crait, and her face still came to his mind daily.

At first, he was angry. Undeniably furious at her rejection, and the way she reached for him... As if to take his hand...

The memory creates a distant, dark cloud over his mind, though he blinks it away as he thinks more on it, just as he had over the past few months.

They both asked too much of the other, to leave their chosen side and do something that their teachings and beliefs were against, and in that, they stung one another when they objected.

Even now, sitting alone as he thought of ways to defeat the biggest Darksider of them all, he wondered where he'd be if Snoke had never gotten inside of his mind, if maybe he had lived his life under Skywalker's teachings, if maybe his and the Scavenger's paths would still cross...

He'd never know, and it was foolish to sit and dwell.

'Let the past die.' his mind echoed. 'Kill it, if you have to.'

And that, he did. He killed Snoke atop his throne, a throne that Kylo now calls his own, and by murdering his own Master, he released his own form of freedom, and with it, torment.

The Force Bond was believed to have died with Snoke, but when he felt her presence on Crait, watching as she closed the door of his Father's ship, he knew it was just another lie from Snoke.

Where the torment truly laid was in the way Rey's mind would brush against his, so close to him, yet so far. His mind would block her, sometimes against its will as he teetered with his own feelings, eventually pushing her out to focus on ruling.

But it never felt right.

Even on his busiest days, when he would nearly go the whole time without thinking of her and her curious, determined eyes, he could feel her energy run past his mind, a quick reminder that she was there, that she couldn't possibly be forgotten.

And at times, it angered him.

The Bond only connected them several times since Crait, each time caught him more off guard than the last, the only time he had intentionally opened it was when he had been truly fed up with feeling her there, unable to see her and express his anger for her rejection...

Though when it connected, every drop of venom left his voice and the hardness in his face drifted away as he met her wide eyes, his own gaze falling to her barely parted lips as she peered up at him.

She studied him quickly, her eyes sweeping across his features as if...

As if she was making sure he was okay.

It nearly made his blood boil with annoyance, and it would have, if he hadn't been studying her for the same reason.

Just as quickly as it had activated, she closed it shut, revealing that she was getting stronger with the Force, honing her skills and making them each her own.

Sitting back in his seat, he rested his elbow on the armchair as his gloved hand stroked his chin.

She must be getting even stronger than...It's been a while...

No doubt she's gotten even stronger with the Force since then, just as he has.

An awakening within the Force sparked a new order in himself, he sensed that much. Emotions he hadn't felt in so long erupted in his heart and mind; regret, turmoil, sorrow.

And it all occurred after that Force Bond with her, the Scavenger.

He felt as though he had looked at her for the first time, as if everything wasn't so black and white.

The once supposed Monster that is the Supreme Leader of the First Order, began to humanize himself.

He grieved for his Father, a man he once idolized only to strike him down out of fear and anger, a mix that created the lust for power he'd been blind to.

Since the awakening, everything changed, starting with how he chose to rule the galaxy.

One by one, he freed the slaves and child workers across many, many stars, ending a continued torment that so many people were put through by the hand of the previous leader. Deserted planets took on the construction for new homes and cities paid for by the funds of the First Order, funds that had once gone towards weaponizing each individual.

And then, when it came to Jakku, he oversaw every change himself, starting with the detainment of Unkar Plutt, deciding that death would be far too quick and painless for the blob.

Beneath his order, Unkar was forced to sit in the scorching hiss of the sun as First Order troopers assisted with building new homes and water systems for the residents, creating jobs and an actual stable homelife for the people there.

Jakku was now a thriving planet, and he did it all for her...

Often times, he wondered if she knew.

It was only one of the things he'd done with her in mind, but it was one of his proudest.

Glancing to the black floor of his ship, Kylo couldn't remember the last time he felt truly proud of himself that did not include the girl.

His gaze turned back to the stars with a determined glint.

The cause benefited them both, saying that it would save both their lives, and he was sure she'd undoubtedly think of the lives of her friends.

He blinked, slow and deliberate.

There's no going back now, and there was certainly no going forward without her help.

He'd read up on all he could of the story about Senator Palpatine, and his rise to become Darth Sidious, the Master of Darth Vader.

The tales alone made his blood run cold.

Before he could question himself, his eyes shut as his energy delved into the Force, intertwining itself around the life within it, reaching out to her just enough to scan her signature from the stars he was floating in.

… As if they'd become one... He felt the same heat on her cheeks, and made out the trickle of sweat rolling down her neck... Beads of sand hissed across itself in the wind...

He could almost place it... It wasn't Jakku... No...

It was... Tatooine?

At the discovery, his eyes shot open just as he felt the familiar hum of the Force surrounding him, buzzing to life as his gaze fell to her.

She stood over him, crouching just enough to study his closed eyes, inches away from his face.

The curious yet heated look in her eyes told him that she was unprepared for this, but she could feel him so vividly... Looking for her.

He made sure to not let his surprise creep on his face, instead applying the usual hard, bored look he mustered up for the meetings he had with the First Order.

Sensing it, her eyes squinted at him, as if she tried to break his invisible mask across the Bond, and when it didn't work, she stood up straight, looking around his surroundings just as sand appeared around her feet.

His eyes never left her face, and under his scrutiny, she turned her attention back to him, making it a point to show him she was not afraid of his gaze.

"Why are you looking for me?" She asked, her tone light, yet demanding.

Hearing her for the first time in quite a while made his mind stumble briefly before he squared his shoulders.

"I need to speak with you." He said, his own tone equally assertive.

Her chin rose in the air, and it made her features stand out even more, and he noticed how her efforts with training worked in her favor. Freckles still dusted across her nose, and her chestnut colored hair was styled in a new way, though she still sported the three signature buns.

The attire she now wore fit her nearly too perfectly, the belt at her waist outlining the curves he'd often dreamt of. The white of her outfit looked heavenly against her tanned skin, and thankfully, her voice broke him out of the trance he was beginning to fall into, his eyes begging for a better glance at the way her top dipped.

"You're talking to me now." She challenged, watching his face intently.

He shook his head slowly, his eyes boring into hers. With the way her shoulders squared and how she tried to stand tall, he could tell she got the picture, though she didn't like it.

She glared at him. "If you come here, I'll kill you." The girl tried.

For the first time in a very long while, the corner of his mouth twitched with a smirk at her courage.

"We'll see." He answered, calling her bluff.

In the quickest of glances, he watched as her gaze trailed along the faded scar across his face, and he was instantly hit with a warm feeling of desire, though he was unsure who it came from.

Before he could properly gauge it, she recovered and shot him another glare before the Bond severed, leaving him alone in his dark ship amongst the stars.

His chest fell heavily, feeling as though he had been holding his breath the entire time.

His mind was immediately brought back to the task at hand, and the evil that hid itself in the black corners of the galaxy.

This time, there was no room for error, and no room for rejection.

Setting the course, Kylo Ren made his way to Rey on Tatooine.

( X )

The following day, Rey sat in the middle of the bleak desert, surrounding herself by hot wind and yellow sand, a home away from home.

She found that these days, the harsh sun and git of sand was the only thing that allowed her to truly meditate, to calm the whispers that prodded her mind.

It had been so overwhelmingly hectic the past few days, quieting one voice only to have another appear.

Thankfully, she was allowed a few days away from the Resistance in order to get back on track, though the 'few days' turned into a couple of months.

It had started after their first Bond since Crait, when she had so much to say on how selfish he'd been, and how sorry she actually was. However, her own words flitted away when their eyes met, and she felt that no amount of words could compare to the look they gave each other.

And even though she felt the awakening within the Force, namely Ben, it also awoke something dark, as if the small gleam of light they made together was enough to set off the harshest cast of darkness.

That's when it started.

When she speculated that both her and Ben's care and forgiveness for one another gave the right push for a darker power to rise.

It was the only thing she could make sense of, and after struggling to read the Ancient Jedi textbooks, she proudly repaired her lightsaber, as if that alone could guard her from the whispers that beckoned her at night.

It would happen so suddenly, at times when she thought it would settle finally, they'd start back up

She couldn't always make out what they said, though there were lines that always made its way into her head, repeating over and over like a mantra.

'Kill, Kira, kill... Do what must be done... Do not hesitate... Show no mercy...'

The sickly, deep voice cackled and disappeared, coming in and out of her mind like a ghost.

Often times, she'd think of Ben, and only then did the whispers shy away, as if they were scared, hissing as they flinched away to the mute corners of her mind.

Rey wouldn't deny it.

It scared her, scared her so much that she had to leave her friends and the home within the Resistance that she had comfortably made, on the search for answers she wasn't sure she could find.

The only comfort she got out of it all was that she was no longer a danger to her friends as she slowly lost her mind to the voices, training day in and day out, building up her own block to push away the darkness that began to shove its way in.

Meditation helped, and through it, she felt herself called to Tatooine, though she was unsure why.

Claiming an abandoned hut for all her own, Rey would visit it sometimes to clean herself up before heading back out to train, becoming one with herself as she grew within the Force.

'...Show no mercy...'

When she felt herself dwelling on the words, that's when she knew to break the trance.

If the whispers sat too long, she'd begin to feel dizzy, and flashes of memories that were not her own would fly through her mind, until one day, she realized they weren't memories, but of a life in the future, a path she had not crossed yet.

When the whispers won, and the visions came, her world would go quiet, and Rey knew it then.

This being in her mind, this dark orb that had no face, was spying on her mind and visions.

From that day on, she dedicated herself to meditation, determined to be stronger than the whispers, a turn that the voice had not anticipated.

And yesterday, when she was hard at work in the desert with her eyes shut closed as she focused on the energy around her, trying her best to pinpoint what had brought her to this planet, she felt him.

Her eyes opened wide as the Bond formed him to her view.

It had been so long since she seen him, or even felt him this way, but there was no mistaking his signature as she felt him looking for her.

Briefly, she wondered if today would be the day he'd finally come to kill her.

Just as quickly as the thought entered her mind, it fell away.

If he was going to kill her, she thought, he wouldn't have done all that he has, including what he did for Jakku.

So many familiar faces were shown grinning from ear to ear on all the holopads across the galaxy, happy with the new work and homes that were being built for them, and the water systems that graced the dry, sunken planet.

Another line stated that Unkar Plutt had been detained, and forced to watch the changes as they were built day in and day out.

She wondered from time to time, selfishly, if he had done it for her.

Would he really make her watch all of that, just to kill her in a desert on another planet?

Standing over him now, she studied his features as he sat in a pilot's seat with his eyes closed. She noticed how his black, messy hair was longer, curtaining his angular, imperfect face.

And the scar... The scar she'd given him... had faded just barely, and it baffled her as to why he wouldn't have it mended or properly healed since he had all the tools for it, including the Force.

She admitted to herself that she was proud of it though... a Scavenger at heart, leaving her mark and staking her claim.

She blinked slowly at the thought, surprised to have had it in the first place before she focused back on his face. He seemed... intent...meditative... determined... And then she realized that he was...it in the first place before she focused back on his face. He seemed... intent...meditative... determined... And then she realized that he was...

Looking for her.

Even now, the next day, it still caught her off guard after the year of silence the Bond endured. There were times when her mind would be pressed against the hardened door of his, backed up against as the whispers refused to let up. year of silence the Bond endured. There were times when her mind would be pressed against the hardened door of his, backed up against as the whispers refused to let up.

During those times, the voices would stop, but she knew her constant brush from her mind to his was aggravating him in the beginning, and after what appeared to be an awakening, she vowed to not run to his mind for comfort or sanctuary.

So, when he opened the Bond in search of her, she was taken aback, still on the defensive side since she wasn't sure what he needed to speak about, but she was sure it was important.

In fact, during one of the few visions she had seen, he'd been barreling towards her in his screeching Tie Silencer, and she let the Force guide her across the top, just as she was going to do now.

He was already here, she could feel him as if he was standing directly next to her, though he was miles and miles away.

She inhaled deeply, and just as she did, the whispers appeared briefly.

'...Kill...'

Her shoulders squared and her eyes narrowed as his Silencer appeared, and with a quick, single shove, Rey knocked the voices back away from her mind as she gripped her lightsaber, pointing it downward as she watched his ship grow closer.

Her mouth twitched with a hint of a smirk, knowing that he was going to call her bluff, that she wouldn't really kill him. She had to say it though, to test his reaction, and he didn't disappoint.

He knew she'd never be able to kill him, and she knew deep down that he'd never be able to kill her.

It was a dangerous game to play, which is why they both chose to sit out for as long as they did.

As his ship grew closer, Rey's eyes narrowed at him, as if she could see through the clear window and directly into his eyes from so far away.

She felt him accelerate, the sand moving this way and that as he got closer to his mark, and at that moment, she ignited her lightsaber, the blue hue of it reflecting off the grains of sand at her feet.

Turning, she braced herself to start the run, looking over her shoulder to gauge the distance before she ran.

Rey replayed the vision once again, and eventually felt it in the Force instead when the right moment to jump was just as he approached. The adrenaline rushed through her veins as she jumped, turning her body midair right above his Silencer when he rushed past her, just as in control of the situation as she

She spun once more before landing on her feet, her saber still ignited at her side as she huffed a hard breath, turning to watch his ship come to a stop, never taking her eyes off of him as he exited the Silencer.

His movements were steady and deliberate, each footstep heavier than the last as he made his way to her.

She stood in her place, watching, observing, unbelieving that he was here in the flesh before her.

He stopped walking a few feet away from her, his cape waving in the wind as they stared at one another, longing and ferocity mingling with one another in their eyes.

The Bond seemed to stutter over itself, overcome by the emotions both Kylo and Rey were feeling, each of them unsure of who was feeling what.

Frustration, anxiety, longing, desire... Sorrow, love, guilt, security...

Everything flew by all at once, and it was becoming so overwhelming...

She just wanted to be closer to him...

Lightsaber still ignited, she took a step to him, and his hand immediately flew to his own saber clipped at his hip.

Before she could realize it was in response to her own stance and drawn weapon, Rey 's eyes narrowed at him as her own grip tightened, causing his eyes to narrow at her in return.

It was no longer a quick visit, no longer a playful test

They were both eager to see where the other stood in the Force, to test the other's new abilities and strengths, to seek out their weaknesses.

They met in the middle of the desert, Rey's lightsaber slamming down against his, which he ignited just in time. He held his weapon with one hand, blocking her mid strike before pushing her back with the Force. With a flick of his wrist, he sent her to her knee before driving his saber down, just as Rey rolled away and got back to her feet.

Using her fast advantage, Rey quickly swung at him three times, each hit one after the other, her quick jabs too fast for his heavy reflexes until he found an opening in her fourth swing and caught her wrists, dropping his own lightsaber against the sand as he held her arms above her, walking her backwards as she struggled.

His muscle was too much this time, the proof of his hardwork and even harder training over the past year, and he overpowered her easily as her back pushed against a large boulder.

Kylo Ren crushed her wrist against the rock until she was forced to drop her own saber as she hissed at him, both of their chests rising and falling with their heavy breaths.

Their eyes met again, focusing on one another in real time as their emotions slowly settled, the thrill of the fight humming in the Bond.

It was the first time Kylo could really see her now, and his eyes scanned every inch of her face as he held her there against the boulder, the sweet scent of her breath surrounding his senses as he focused on her, and she on him.

Her arms gave a quick shove, yet he only tightened his hold, his eyes quickly narrowing at her, testing both her and himself. Her breathing was still heavy, the rise and fall of her chest against his did not escape his notice in the slightest.

As he studied her intently, watching her hazel eyes flicker with curiosity at his proximity, he found himself slowly, painfully slowly, drawing closer to her, enveloped by her scent and gaze.

Rey's brows furrowed slightly as she watched him, her lips parting, watching as his gaze drifted down to her mouth, eyeing the movement.

He felt as though he were under a spell... Captivated by Rey... The Jedi warrior that was nothing but pure light and strength, the same being that caused such chaos throughout the galaxy in only a small amount of time...

His eyes were still set on her parted, pink mouth, and bent to her, his lips just brushing hers, her taste already on his mouth...

In the blink of an eye, his hold was broken, and in the next instant, he found himself pinned against the boulder, though her arms stayed at her sides, and his were outstretched along the solid, large rock, held by her Force as she studied him, her brows furrowed even more.

Kylo clenched his jaw in irritation from the desire that flooded him, and he was just about to curse himself until he saw that way that Rey was studying his own mouth.

Her eyes gleamed with curiosity and desire, though she was extremely timid, and seemed like she was still defensive.

And when she took a step closer to him, her chest pressed against his slowly, his breathing stilled as he watched her through hooded lids.

Rey never came close to taking her eyes off of his as her face grew closer to him, even when she hesitated to move to her tip toes in order to reach his lips.

Their eyes remained opened and hard on one another as her lips slowly pecked his, and he felt her reaching out for his thoughts, wondering if she was doing it right, daring him to stop her.

He wouldn't be able to answer her or stop her anyway, far too distracted with how soft her lips were, and how eager he was for more as he moved to bend down and catch her lips with his, though her Force restraint on him tightened.

Kylo thought it was perfectly Rey, just how in control she wanted to be in this, how curious she was and eager to learn all at the same time. It excited him to no end, and the mix of the thrill and the timid way she pressed her lips to him again, made his eyes slowly close as she softly kissed him.

When Rey moved away, he gulped hard, his Adam's apple bobbing high as his jaw tightened, his eyes opening to meet hers, still watching him for his reaction.

She peered up at him, and he looked down at her, reminding her of the heated way he watched her in the elevator the day they defeated Snoke. The intense look alone made her stomach warm, just as it had the day before when she caught sight of his scar...

At the thought of it, her eyes trailed down along the mark, admiring the cut she'd branded him with.

At the fleeing thought and warm sensation reaching towards him from the bond, there was no mistaking the desire she had felt, and it, at first, made his mind stumble before it landed on the encouragement he needed.

With a clenched fist, he tore his arms from her Force hold, her eyes going wide as she took a quick step backwards, though his arms shot out to catch her, one hand gently pulling her towards him from the back of her neck, the other landing at her hip.

Rey crashed against his body as he bent down to capture her lips with his, and this time, it was Rey's eyes that closed first, the warm kiss catching her off guard as she hesitantly melted to him.

Her cheeks flared with heat at the contact, his mouth much more confident and hungrier than hers had been on him.

He knew what he was doing, and it was intoxicating to her.

His kiss was truly gentle at first, giving her what she needed; comfort, security, calmness.

It wasn't long before it turned into a deep hunger when she let out a small moan as she relaxed into him. The sound vibrated through him, shooting straight to his tightening pants beneath his tunic as he held her close, her own arms slowly finding a resting point at his shoulders as she unknowingly deepened the kiss.

"Rey..." He breathed before his gloved fingers worked into her hair. She gasped at the sensation, the stroke of his fingers massaging her scalp, and as her lips parted just enough, his tongue skimmed her bottom lip, trying his best not to scare her away, and to also satisfy his deep and growing hunger for more of her.

At the sound of her name, her mind was pulled into a dark abyss, knowing already that she was going to see a vision, cursing all the stars in the galaxy that it was happening now.

Her body went still, her eyes opening, though she was now standing in a reddened forest, surrounded by fog and the sounds of war in the distance.

"I'll come back for you, sweetheart." A voice whispered to her, but this whisper created security rather than fear. "I promise."

Behind it all, in the back of her vision, the dark, haunting voice cackled before it disappeared.

Crashing back to reality, Rey found herself being held in Kylo's arms, his hand cupping her cheek as he watched her with a concerned look and furrowed brows

"Rey?" He asked, searching both her face and mind. She heard his aggravated grunt in her thoughts as he encountered her block.

She swallowed hard as she replayed the vision, the same voice coming back to her, finally able to pinpoint it.

Rey stared at him, her mouth forming into a small frown as she tried to make sense of it. "It was you..." she muttered.

She heard this same voice back on Takodana when she first touched the lightsaber in Maz's basement...

"It was you all along." She muttered, watching his face, as it could reveal more than what she already knew.

With her heart beating rapidly, she stepped out of his arms, grabbed her saber, and made her way back to her home.

Kylo Ren watched her go, confused and out of breath for a number of reasons, but there was no doubt in his mind that he felt a looming, dark presence in Rey's head before her thoughts went white.

Whatever was going on, he'd find out.

With that, he followed Rey

( x )

Author's Notes:

:D Yay for Reylo! And the trailer! And for Star Wars! And for all the things!

Hope you all liked, thank you for reading. Reviews will help determine if I continue this, so please leave some love!

In the mean time, go check out my other Reylo writing! (Tremble For My Beloved - a Reylo smut-one shot) + (Steady On. - 62 chapters deep and all the Reyloness you need!)

Also, check me out Tumblr! VirtualReylo

Thanks again!


	2. Chapter 2

She had heard his voice in a Force vision so long ago, and even at the time, she recalled feeling as though she had known this person for so long before she'd actually met him...

The voice soothed her, calmed her in ways she had longed for since she was a child...

'Sweetheart.' It echoed in her mind.

Blinking away the longing, Rey straightened her stance as she walked back into her home, a small dome of clay that protected her from the harsh heat outside, a place she had grown to love even more than her AT-AT on Jakku.

There wasn't much in the home, but having been on her own for so long and then thrown into a world of so many people with the Resistance, part of her felt glad to have her space back.

As she placed her things down on the ground by the front door, Rey felt a quick twinge of guilt hit her abdomen at the thought of the people she left.

Those few months ago, when she'd made the choice to leave, Finn was not happy about it, and part of it came from worry for her. Rey knew she couldn't reveal much, but the times when she spaced out were more and more evident while the visions played, and eventually, he noticed.

"Are you okay? What's going on?" He'd asked.

At first, she was embarrassed, having no control over her own reactions as she stared off into the distance, mute and wide eyed.

She had no answer for him, and it hurt her just as much as it did him.

Finn was her first real friend, the first person she'd ever connected with, and she was the same source of familiarity and friendship he had since abandoning the First Order.

"I can help you, Rey." He begged when he discovered her packing her belongings. She faced away from him, silently hiding her tears.

"Finn, it's out of my hands. The Force is calling me somewhere out there, and there are-"

She stopped herself.

'Voices.' She wanted to say. 'Voices that whisper to me, that talk to me from the darkest corners, that show me pictures of both my wants and fears...'

Even now, standing in her temporary home on Tatooine, her heart stuttered with a stab as she recalled his words.

"Let me come with you! We've faced bigger things before." Finn offered with a scared, hopeful smile as Rey turned around.

She returned it with a sad smile. "Poe needs you."

He shook his head. "The Resistance needs you." He challenged. "I need you."

Rey's eyes brimmed with tears at the words, though she still softly shook her head. "And Rose needs you." With a heavy sigh, Rey closed her bag and sighed heavily. "I'll be back. The Resistance is thriving right now. Maz and Leia have pulled in so many fighters since Crait..."

Finn frowned, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he watched her.

"Rey..."

"Finn. When the Resistance needs me again, truly needs me, I'll be right there fighting besides you all. This is not the end. I just need to clear my head."

A dark voice chuckled in the back of her mind, and Rey's skin broke out in goosebumps before pushing the laugh away.

"I will be back." Rey assured him. Finn nodded, and they hugged one another tightly for a long moment, neither of them willing to give the other up.

With a deep sigh, Rey tried to relax her shoulders in the present as she flicked the memory away, hearing Kylo Ren enter her home behind her.

Her brow creased as she turned and leaned against a small bookcase, her eyes raking him up and down, taking note of his red cheeks and the drops of sweat falling from the tips of his dark hair.

Seeing her eyes on him, Kylo straightened himself, regaining his composure as he stood tall, his chin rising in the air.

They watched each other for a long moment, and eventually, their minds clashed against each other, a sudden attack that the other half expected, though they were both equally surprised at the strength they held.

Neither mind budged, and frustrations grew high.

"What happened out ther-" Kylo began to demand of her, interrupted by Rey.

"You said you needed to speak to me, here I am."

Rey crossed her arms, her eyes intent on his.

He couldn't make sense of it...

As he read her, or tried to at least, he made the discovery that not only had her powers grown profoundly, but her mind was blocked as if something or someone was protecting it, a possessive latch hissing at him any time his Force reached out.

The feeling froze him, and he struggled for a moment to breathe.

"Rey..." Her name drifted from his lips with his realization, a soft whisper that reached her from across the nearly empty room.

She shifted uncomfortably, feeling the same concern that she had experienced from Finn.

It was odd to her, to feel such a thing from Kylo Ren of all people, but she knew if the tables were turned, she'd be equally worried for him.

Having always been self-reliant, Rey hated it.

She could take care of herself, and she disliked the look in his eyes that seemed to show a hint of...

Pity?

Rey growled under her breath as she pushed away from the shelf and tried to move past him, eager to be anywhere but in his presence.

Kylo, however, refused to move out of the way, instead forcing her to stand before him, only a foot away as he studied her face.

Sensing his refusal, Rey narrowed her eyes at him.

"Move-" She began to both challenge and demand him before he cut her off, grabbing her arm and pushed her against the wall.

She immediately struggled, and though he lessened his grip, he did not let her go.

Bending his neck, he met her eye level as his mind made sense of the blank look she had earlier, and how her mind seemed so distant.

"Did you have a Force vision?" He asked, his voice both amazed and slightly frightful.

Kylo remembered reading about such things in his years with Skywalker. It wasn't an uncommon thing, though it was definitely a passageway for both the light and dark side of the Force.

With Rey so inexperienced to begin with, he couldn't risk her power growing alongside the dark without his guidance.

Rey froze in his grasp, her eyes widening the smallest amount, but it did not escape his notice.

Seeing the confirmation in her silence, Kylo pressed on. "What have you seen? How long has this been happening?"

Rey looked at him as her heartbeat fastened, surprised to find comfort in the fact that she wasn't exactly losing her mind, though she was still disturbed by the whispers...

Her thoughts flew by one right after the other as she weighed the consequences of telling him what she's seen...

Ultimately, since some of these visions had to do with him, she decided against it.

"And why do you care? You haven't talked to me in months. You never opened our bond until now, when you want something. You don't get to just come and go as you please!" Rey scowled at him as her hurt boiled to the top of her being.

She had thought of him so often, and eventually accepted the theory to be true, that she didn't truly matter to him, that the bond meant nothing.

Yet, even if that were true, why did she still care?

Her teeth clenched as she glanced away from him, a certain longing returning to her, a feeling she had tried to ban from her inner self.

At the knowledge of this, the memory of his lips on hers came rushing back, her heart stopping with it.

Why had she kissed him? Rey shook her head at herself as she thought.

So many nights she had wondered what it would feel like to kiss someone, and to be kissed by someone, a motion that didn't exactly appeal to her, though she was curious about it.

And then, she had found herself so close to Kylo when he'd arrived here, feeling the heat of his long body, unable to push away the pull from his mind to hers, the way he looked her over with his dark colored eyes and imperfect, scarred face curtained by long, black locks.

He looked somewhat healthier than he did when she had left him on Snoke's ship, the purple circles beneath his eyes were nearly gone, and the scar was healing itself for the most part. His body alone seemed larger, toned muscles outlined beneath his heavy tunic and cloak.

It was a mix of those things that led her to push him against the rock, to lean in closer and get a better look.

She had seen people kiss back on Jakku, her curious child gaze watching from around the corners as she fit herself into other people's lives, a mute observer while she gathered the junk of ships and the few tender moments of such acts.

Place your mouth on the other person's, right?

And so, that's what Rey had done.

His visit on Tatooine was still too sudden for her liking, but she didn't have any visitors, and it was true... She had wanted to speak to him for so long, with nothing to really say, but the need to hear his voice and remind her that it was all real, and when the bond remained silent, it ached in her heart at his refusal.

But if he truly wanted to keep her away...

Why had he kissed her in such a passionate way after her own careful, wide eyed kiss?

Remembering the way he had grabbed her and pressed his mouth to her, his soft, warm lips hugging hers, made her cheeks heat up and redden as she stood before him now.

Her question seemed to trigger something in him as he stood there, his hand slowly releasing her as he stood there, looking down at her with a serious and apologetic look.

He hadn't thought that she would even notice when he wouldn't answer her call through the bond, in fact, he himself assumed she never meant to brush her mind to his on the times he did feel her.

Even with that said, what would he say to her?

'Why did you leave me back on the Supremacy? Why did you reject you? Why would reach out to me if you did so purposefully?' Each question flew through his mind, though he refused to pay attention to them.

The question he wanted answered now stayed at the forefront of his mind: 'Why did you kiss me? And why did I kiss you?'

He didn't really need her answer to the second question...

He had already known.

Since the first time they met face to face, even with her strapped in place as he interrogated her after removing his mask, he wondered what she would taste like.

The curious thought stayed with him every single night that followed.

Kylo glanced away from her pink cheeks, wondering if she was thinking of the same thing...

Clenching his jaw, his gaze returned to her face, his tone both deep and soft as sincerity seeped through.

"I didn't-… I never meant to make it seem like I come and go as I please... After you left to Crait...I..." His voice trailed off, unsure of what he wanted to say, or how to say it.

Rey glanced to the ground between his boots, the red in her face slowly fading as she thought, and Kylo waited.

"Everything..." Rey began, her own tone was so quiet that Kylo had to focus on listening closely in order to make out what she said, her gaze refusing to move. "Everything you did on Jakku... That was good..."

Kylo's breathing hitched, uncomfortable and feeling exposed, but he quickly relaxed as confirmation set in, that she had known indeed.

He didn't respond, instead he stood there only a foot away from her as she leaned against the wall, and eventually her gaze moved back to his.

"I'm going to heat up some food. We can talk over dinner." Rey said as she sighed, fidgeting with her hands before she caught his gaze.

For a long moment, longer than either of them would like to admit, they watched one another.

( X )

He wasn't sure what he expected, but it was not the events that played out shortly after that.

Rey excused herself from her home, Kylo following her after removing his cape and proceeded to watch silently over the next couple of hours as she succeeded in hunting, capturing and cooking their meal.

It was such a thrill to see in action, watching Rey as she accomplished what she did best: Surviving.

Later on, as both suns gave mercy to the people and creatures of Tatooine, Kylo and Rey sat silently at a big boulder as they finished their meal outside, enjoying the nighttime breeze in front of a small fire.

Their company alone filled the silence between them, each of them lost in their own thoughts and the sudden comfort each had in the other's presence.

Setting her plate to the side, Rey looked up to the stars above them, admiring the shine of each that she could see.

From beside her, Kylo followed the movement briefly before he turned his eyes back to her face, choosing to admire her instead.

After a moment, Rey spoke with a hint of amusement behind a thin line of annoyance.

"Are you going to talk or just look at me all night?"

Kylo didn't want to answer her, knowing she probably wouldn't like him saying that yes, he would very much like to continue his study.

With a clear of his throat, he started. "There's something in the Force, I can't pinpoint it, but I-"

"Know it's there?" Rey finished with a cold smile as she looked back at him, the shadows of the fire flickering across her features.

They looked each other on for a moment before Kylo nodded. "Yes. There was an awakening, and with it came a darker presence." He turned his body to face her, trying his best not to think much on how her gaze drifted to his lips briefly.

Sighing, Rey glanced to the fire before them. "I know. I don't know who it is, but..."

Just as Rey was going to continue, the flashes of visions she had seen flew through her mind, picture after picture:

A cold, red war brewed around them as her friends struggled to fight their way back home through a dark forest.

She was lost, but his voice assured her that he'd return, 'Sweetheart.' it'd echo.

She could feel Leia's life force drifting away, just as Poe screamed in the background.

The vision broke into static, a pale, boney hand reaching out to her as a sickly tone cackled in her ear.

And there, in a black room with only the stars to witness, her bonded fell to his knees as he bled to death.

And later on, she would see herself, heartbroken and in tears as she held onto a young boy with dusted freckles across his cheeks and black hair the hid his face, holding onto her as they wept, alone.

Again, a dark chuckle in the back of her mind tore her from these visions, bringing her back down to reality as she sat in the night with Kylo Ren.

Gulping, Rey shifted uncomfortably as she felt his gaze on her, watching her intently.

"What is it that you see?" He asked, his tone husky but concerned.

Her stomach began to hurt, and she truly wished it had been from the food rather than the terrible feeling of losing the people she cared about the most.

Blinking away the tears before they spilled, Rey's teeth clenched together.

"I... I can't tell you that..." She whispered towards the fire.

"Rey," Kylo stood, only to move himself in front of Rey, bending to his knee between her own as he forced her to meet his eyes. "An old Sith Lord has somehow resurfaced. Force Visions can be a gift, but they can also be a gateway to the dark side. You have to be careful with this..."

With her eyes on him, he watched as she froze, however she did not speak.

Thinking of the only thing that could possibly help, he recalled the words she had once spoke to him. "Let me help you." he softly encouraged.

Rey looked at him, her lips parting gently as she remembered when she had said the same words to him, a plea made out of tender hope she held out for him.

If it were true, she decided after a while, what would be the consequences? If this... Sith Lord he'd called it?... What if it changed things drastically? What If this choice led her down the path she was trying to desperately to stay away from?

Worry and guilt stabbed at her, constant anxiety for the unknown as the 'What if's' plagued her mind.

Her jaw hardened as she again thought of her friends falling away in the red war, and ultimately decided that she would do whatever it took to avoid it, a conscience choice to plan out the possibilities, even if it drove her mad.

Rey slowly nodded her head.

"We can help each other... But I can't tell you much..." she timidly whispered.

Kylo took a long moment before he gave a single, curt nod back.

At least she was willing, he decided.

Standing, Kylo relaxed his shoulders as he waited for her to get up as well before she shook her head.

"Oh, I... Well, I don't sleep at night." She explained quietly, peering up at him from the sanded ground.

His brows creased with a silent question as he glanced around him, wondering why.

Rey cleared her throat. "The voi-" She stopped herself.

She wouldn't mention the voices... Not the whispers...

At least not yet, not until she knew of Kylo's real intentions, and if they were earnest or not.

She sighed. "They come at night, mostly." Rey said, being as vague as possible, thankful that he did not question it any further as he moved to take his place beside her once more.

This time, her own brows creased. "Oh, you don't need to stay out he-"

"I will." He said, folding his cape up to rest his back against the boulders they sat at. She watched him carefully, surprised at the gesture, yet even more taken aback at the comfort and ease she felt knowing that he'd be there with her.

( X )

It had been an few hours later, and they were still in the same exact place in front of the fire, occasionally shifting to get more comfortable. Usually, by this time, Rey was back to meditating, however she found it incredibly hard to even focus on the flames with him sitting next to her after being gone for so long since Crait.

Having gotten used to the silence, Rey hoped he didn't notice her jump when he spoke suddenly.

"Jakku..." He muttered with his eyes boring into the center of the fire as he spoke gently. "It... It was all for you."

Her eyes softly flickered to his face, his eyes still held away from her as her heart swelled.

Kylo settled against the boulder, turning his back to her as he laid against the hard rock, his own heart seeming to come alive at the admission, and the memory of her lips on his repeating over and over as he fell asleep.

( X )

Author's Notes:

Thank you all for the amazing feedback! I hope you all liked this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know 😀

Also, if anyone is interested, this story is titled after the song "Carnivorous" by Band of Skulls. I HIGHLY recommend that you listen!


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning, Kylo Ren woke to the harsh sun beating down on his skin, his black clothing giving no help to the heat. With a frustrated sigh, he slowly opened his eyes, finding himself surrounded by sand that also scattered over the fire that had blazed the night before.

Sitting up, he glanced around his surroundings and found no trace of Rey, having to briefly channel the Force to find her signature, which was very easy since she stood out so much with her raw, undiscovered power.

Kylo got to his feet and arched his back, cursing every grain of sand his eyes fell upon as he slowly made his way to Rey, who was at least three miles away and currently tucked into a cavern.

Begrudgingly, he walked as he thought to himself.

Since arriving on Tatooine, a number of things had crossed his mind.

One, Rey's powers with the Force were growing out of his own reach, and he was unsure of the outcome if he were not able to help her tame them. Her Force signature alone called to him so vibrantly, and Kylo was sure that it would do the same with other Force sensitives as well.

Second, Rey has seemed to have done well so far, but he could not deny the worry that plagued his mind and nerves knowing that she was so lost in her own mind, battling these visions she claims to have.

It would only take one person...

One person to catch her off guard as she meditated, or while she watched her vision...

With a hard gulp, Kylo brushed the thought away.

He couldn't remember the exact time he discovered to have had cared so much for what happened to the Scavenger...

Even now, as he suffered the heat of two suns to find the way to the girl, it still baffled him.

They were still technically enemies, and even then, they were bound to one another in life and in death, a magnetic pull that fated them to each other's sides, and he, Kylo Ren, was lost in it.

He had spent months after months looking for answers as to why this happened, and even deeper, how to break it when he himself knew he wouldn't be able to.

The answers still came to the same conclusion that his heart struggled with: Fate.

Snoke had once tried to take ownership of the act, of the pure bond that the Force had created, but it was truly evident that not even he could create such a thing.

Again, as he had so many times since Crait, Kylo cursed the Force.

Part of him used to blame Rey for the whole ordeal, his own thoughts attempting to convince his mind that she actually knew of her abilities and powers, and had been using them to gain Kylo's favor and destroy the First Order through him.

However, after so many months of an empty bond and silent hum, he knew it couldn't be true.

Though they may be enemies in war, there was more that lay beneath it, a longing that he had never experienced with anyone else, a line of honesty he hadn't come close to sharing with anyone but her.

In only a short amount of time, she had in turn convinced him that he was a monster – One that could be worthy of redemption, that had the possibility of doing and being good.

The thought alone made Kylo Ren sneer as he neared the cavern he was led to.

With a clenched jaw, Kylo resisted the urge to spit away that uncomfortable confusion that soared in his indecisive soul.

Pausing near the entrance, Kylo looked back towards his ship, a hard tug pulling at him as his mind ordered him to return to his Order, to command rule and take charge in seeing the destruction of Palpatine...

But he knew...

He knew he stood no chance without the girl that wreaked so much chaos within him.

Now inside of the deep cave, Kylo slowly turned the corner, surprised to hear the sound of water as he glanced down and saw the moisture in the ground around his boots.

His brow creased as he continued walking hesitantly.

Rounding another corner, his boots splashed against the water as it grew around each step, pooling more and more until he stepped up onto a rocky area, his head cocking around one last corner to see a pool of blue water.

The roof of the cave sunk in to expose the sun just enough to light up the walls of the cavern, the large pool of water shimmering in its light as rocks and stones, small and large, scattered throughout the cave, creating shadows of light and dark water.

Kylo's eyes wandered over the water before setting on Rey, who sat on a large boulder that was submerged in the blue, though it was high enough to hold Rey's upper body nearly out of the water.

Freezing mid-step, his mind stuttered over his last few thoughts as his eyes traveled down her naked body, greedily taking in the view; Her damp hair slicked back behind her shoulders, her tanned skin peaking perfectly out of the blue water, scarred flesh meeting freckles and tan lines, and the swell of her breasts hardening him instantly.

Feeling a presence near her, Rey's eyes shot open as she quickly whipped her head to Kylo, her hands flying to cover what she could, though the last sight he stole was of her bare midriff beneath the water that led to a small, beautiful patch of dark curls between her thighs.

Kylo felt his own face and ears burn quickly as he turned, catching Rey's gaze briefly and tried his best to even out his breathing as his jaw clenched.

"Have you no shame?" Rey exclaimed as she dove into the water to conceal her body, gripping the edge of the boulder to keep her afloat.

"I..." Kylo trailed off, unable to form a solid, coherent response as his eyes blinked furiously, trying to focus on the ground, the wall, his hands... anything.

"No! I forgot. You can take whatever you want...and that includes ogling at naked women!" Rey growled at him, mimicking his own words from the time he interrogated her after Takodana.

Her choice in words made his mouth quirk with a smile, hidden since he had his back to her.

From the sound of water dripping, Kylo knew she was out of the water now and fumbling with her clothing.

Finally, he set his hard gaze on the ceiling of the cave, choosing to remain quiet in order to save his own head... Though surprisingly, he was both amused and aroused at this very moment.

For a long moment, Rey grumbled and cursed at him from behind as she struggled to find the opening of her attire, her wet hands matting down the fabrics and making it frustratingly impossible to operate.

She froze in her place when she heard him audibly smirk, followed by a small mumble, "Don't flatter yourself, Scavenger."

From within their bond, Rey felt his amusement, growing even more angrier at the sight of it.

He thought this was funny?

Rey growled at him again as she stomped over to him, standing in front of him with her arms crossed around her breasts, uncaring to her appearance, eager to both show him up and shut him up.

She peered up at him as he stared blankly at the ceiling of the cavern, the red in his cheeks returning as she stood nude before him, his eye twitching as he forced himself to stay still and keep his eyes away from the prize before him.

Still, his gaze did not budge.

Narrowing her eyes, she lowered her arms to her sides.

"Joke all you want, Solo." Rey scolded him, satisfied as his jaw tensed at the name. "I know the look and feel when a man wants a woman."

Her tone challenged him confidently, and she was sure that he was too embarrassed to meet her gaze...

Until she watched as he swallowed and rolled his eyes down to hers, his eyes hooded and dark with his own test.

Her parted lips quickly shut as she blinked, suddenly feeling her confidence waiver.

Again, as he did often, he never took his eyes off of her, even lowering himself to meet her gaze head on.

She huffed at him as her chin rose in the air, her heart beating fast as she brushed past him and went straight for her clothes once more.

Both Rey and Kylo looked to their sides, trying to see out of the corner of their eye if the other was watching.

With a sharp inhale, Kylo returned his gaze to the walls of the cave, carefully etching the memory of her wet, toned body into his mind.

After dressing, Rey straightened herself before returning to his side, trying her best to fan the heat away from her face as she replayed the same events over and over.

Nudity on Jakku was never a big deal, in fact it was pretty normal due to the heat and harsh sand. However, she herself had never took part in it, instead she chose to go for light colors to keep cool, and took comfort in the fact that no one would be able to see her imperfect flesh beneath the wispy material.

No one had ever gotten the chance to look at her nude... And now, Ben Solo – Kylo Ren of the First Order – had been the first person to ever see the parts of her she had barely discovered herself.

The way he had stood and looked at her, though...

The sight alone made her breath grow heavy, and her abdomen filled with warmth.

Shaking her head, Rey brushed past him once more to lead the way outside, trying to break the very uncomfortable silence with Kylo, who was trying to walk off his sudden and annoying arousal.

"So, what now?" She asked with a bored tone.

He sighed behind her. "You need more training... And I need your help..."

"Right, because there's something bad in the Force?" Rey finished, irritation still strong in her voice.

"Someone." He corrected. "I am no match for his power. Not even with my men."

The comment made Rey stop and turn to him. "Your troops, or the Knights of Ren?"

Kylo's eyes narrowed at her briefly. "Both."

It took Rey a moment, but she finally responded, crossing her arms as her gaze traveled from the ground and up to his eyes.

"But... You defeated Snoke." She pointed out.

"This is bigger than Snoke."

She had a feeling that he was going to say it before his mouth even formed the words. Her mind raced to find a solution, her voice coming out small and unsure.

"The Resistance..."

"Will still be no match, even combined with my own resources."

The look he gave her conveyed the plea and seriousness he needed to. Kylo felt her reach through the bond, searching for a lie, for any exaggeration.

There was none.

If anything, his emotions betrayed him and extended forth an even louder shout for her help, and in her mind crept another whisper, harsher than Kylo could ever sound.

'Help the boy...' a dark, sinister voice called to her mind. 'Help me...'

Rey jumped at the sound, and Kylo searched her face and mind for answers to what happened, for what she saw.

Rey quickly put up a mental block, shutting him out... Keeping the voices in...

"Rey..." Kylo called to her, his voice soothing but begging.

Her eyes met his, and together they shared a wide, frightened look.

A flash of the vision she had yesterday flew through her mind... The small boy sharing her tears as they were left alone... Kylo nowhere in sight...

"The future will always change. Your visions are not concrete."

Rey glanced away from him, her heart breaking at the sight in her mind. His words echoed in the distance, but it was not enough to ease her nerves.

He was right. The future would always change...

But why was this one vision so real, so vivid?

No matter the answer, Rey swore to not allow it to come true.

Squaring her shoulders, her eyes narrowed and grew hard as she looked up to him.

"Where do we begin?" she asked, a fierce determination taking pride across her features.

He absolutely adored her for it.

But still, he was eager to get down to the center of her visions, and whatever darkness loomed within her.

Kylo's goal was not to snuff out the dark that he believed came naturally to her, but to help grow into it, to guide it into a useful power that she would be able to channel at any given moment, to be his equal and so much more.

He wondered if he would ever get the chance to see it, if they were to survive this...

Inhaling deeply, Kylo looked to the sky above. "We need to spar. A real, true session to test your strengths and weaknesses. My Knights can be of help in this. They can be trusted. Six of the strongest men out there, and I have them on my side."

Rey watched him, her arms still crossed over her chest.

She looked at him with a single eyebrow raised.

"Five."

Kylo reached into his pocket to pull out his gloves, slowly putting them on as he waited for her to continue.

"Five?" His brow creased as he asked her, an uninterested tone coating over his voice.

"Yes, five. As in you have five Knights of Ren."

His hands froze their dressing as he looked at her, meeting her bored gaze as she pushed past him.

"I killed one of them the day before you arrived."

Rey walked off, leaving Kylo Ren to watch after her, absolutely dumbfounded for the first time in all his life.

( X )

**Author's Notes: **

**Woo! Another chapter. More soon, I'm actually liking where I'm going with this, and I thank you all sooo much for your feedback. I love it and appreciate every word! **

**My other story "Steady On." will be updated later tonight, possibly tomorrow, so jump over there and catch up on that 62 chapter thang! **

**Also, catch me on Tumblr: VirtualReylo **

**Thanks for reading, leave me some love! **


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